45
UJosefa Uyaziveza
1 UJosefa wehluleka ukuzibamba phambi kwazo zonke izinceku zakhe, wasememeza wathi, “Sukani lonke lapha kimi!” Ngakho kakho owayekhona loJosefa lapho eziveza kubafowabo. 2 Wakhala kakhulu ephumisela amaGibhithe amuzwa, labendlu kaFaro bezwa ngalokho.
3 UJosefa wathi kubafowabo, “Mina nginguJosefa! Kambe ubaba usaphila na?” Kodwa abafowabo behluleka ukumphendula ngoba besaba kakhulu bephambi kwakhe.
4 UJosefa wasesithi kubafowabo, “Sondelani kimi.” Bathi sebekwenzile lokho wathi, “Ngingumfowenu uJosefa, yena lowo elamthengisela eGibhithe! 5 Kodwa manje lingakhathazeki njalo lingaze lazisola ngenxa yokungithengisa lapha, ngoba kwakuyikusiza imiphefumulo ukuba uNkulunkulu angithume phambi kwenu. 6 Sekube yiminyaka emibili manje indlala ikhona elizweni, njalo okweminyaka emihlanu ezayo kakuyikulinywa loba ukuvuna. 7 Kodwa uNkulunkulu wangithuma phambi kwenu ukuba alilondolozele insalela emhlabeni njalo aphephise impilo zenu ngokukhulula okukhulu.
8 Ngakho-ke, kwakungayisini elangithuma lapha, kodwa nguNkulunkulu. Wangenza ngaba ngubaba kuFaro, lenkosi yomuzi wakhe wonke kanye lombusi weGibhithe lonke. 9 Manje, phangisani liye kubaba lithi kuye, ‘Nanku indodana yakho uJosefa akutshoyo: UNkulunkulu usengenze ngaba yinkosi yalo lonke elaseGibhithe. Yehla uze kimi; ungaphuzi. 10 Uzahlala esigodini saseGosheni ube seduze lami, wena labantwabakho, labazukulu bakho; lemihlambi yakho yezimvu leyenkomo lakho konke olakho. 11 Ngizakunakekela ukhonapho ngoba kuseza eminye iminyaka emihlanu yendlala. Kungenjalo wena lomuzi wakho, labo bonke abangabakho lizahawukelwa.’
12 Liyazibonela ngokwenu, njengoba lomnawami uBhenjamini ebona, ukuthi yimi mina ngeqiniso engikhuluma lani. 13 Limtshele ubaba ngalo lonke udumo engiluphiwayo eGibhithe langakho konke elikubonileyo. Ubaba limlethe ngokuphangisa lapha.”
14 Wasegona umnawakhe uBhenjamini, wakhala, loBhenjamini wamanga ekhala. 15 Njalo wabanga bonke abafowabo ekhala kulowo lalowo. Ngemva kwalokho abafowabo baxoxa laye.
16 Kwathi ukuba izindaba zifike esigodlweni sikaFaro ukuthi abafowabo bakaJosefa babefikile, uFaro lezikhulu zakhe bathokoza. 17 UFaro wathi, kuJosefa, “Tshela abafowenu uthi, ‘Yenzani lokhu: Thwalisani izinyamazana zenu libuyele elizweni laseKhenani, 18 beselibuya loyihlo kanye lemizi yenu kimi. Ngizalipha umhlaba omuhle kakhulu lapha eGibhithe, likholise amanono elizwe.’
19 Uyalaywa njalo ukuthi ubatshele uthi, ‘Yenzani lokhu: Thathani izinqola ezithile lapha eGibhithe lisenzela abantwabenu, labomkenu, lithathe uyihlo lize laye. 20 Lingazihluphi ngempahla zenu ngoba okuhle konke kwaseGibhithe kuzakuba ngokwenu.’ ”
21 Ngakho amadodana ka-Israyeli akwenza lokhu. UJosefa wabapha izinqola, njengokulaya kukaFaro, wabuye wabapha umphako wendlela. 22 Ngulowo lalowo wamupha izigqoko ezintsha, kodwa uBhenjamini wamupha amashekeli esiliva angamakhulu amathathu kanye lezigqoko ezinhlanu. 23 Njalo nanku akuphathisela uyise: obabhemi abalitshumi bethwele konke okuhle kwaseGibhithe, labobabhemi abasikazi abalitshumi bebhensiswa ngamabele lesinkwa lokunye okomphako wakhe wendlela. 24 Wasevalelisa abafowabo, bathi sebesuka wathi kubo, “Lingaxabani endleleni!”
25 Ngakho basuka baphuma eGibhithe bayafika kuyise uJakhobe elizweni laseKhenani. 26 Bamtshela bathi, “UJosefa ulokhu ephila! Isibili ungumbusi walo lonke elaseGibhithe.” UJakhobe waphela amandla; kazange abakholwe. 27 Kodwa kwathi lapho sebemtshelile konke uJosefa ayekutshilo kubo, njalo esebone izinqola uJosefa ayethe zizomthwala zimlethe, umoya kayise, uJakhobe wavuseleleka. 28 U-Israyeli wathi, “Sengisuthisekile! Indodana yami uJosefa isaphila. Ngizahamba ngiyeyibona ngingakafi.”